Permanently shaped wig article

ABSTRACT

An improved wig article comprising a substantially rigid backing member shaped to contain predetermined projections and depressions on at least the outer surface of the member, and hair or hair-like material secured to the outer surface of the rigid base member in conformity with the projections and depressions thereby providing a wig article of a coiffure predetermined by the shape of the projections and depressions.

United States Patent Schordalides et al.

1451 May 30, 1972 [54] PERMANENTLY SHAPED WIG ARTICLE [72] Inventors:Constantios A. Schordalides, 32, Efroniou St. (Pangrati); Dimitri G.Papageorglou, 58, Spyrow Merkouri, St, T.T. 516, both of Athens, Greece[22] Filedz Oct. 1,1969

[21] Appl.N0.: 862,745

s21 u.s.c1..... ..132/53 511 ..A4lg3/00 [58] FieldoiSearch..l32/53,54,5,9,49,60; 1 18/39 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATESPATENTS 1,138,494 5/19 15 Luther ..132/54 1,464,089 8/1923 Ernest132/53 2,352,083 6/1944 Detjen 18/39 2,531,685 11/1950 Jacoby 132/52,602,460 7/ l 952 Hall ..132/53 3,342,189 9/1967 Houston 1 32/533,420,249 1/1969 Bonham... 1 32/53 3,456,657 7/1967 Smith 1 32/53Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Gregory E. McNeil]Attorney-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin ABSTRACT An improved wigarticle comprising a substantially rigid backing member shaped tocontain predetermined projections and depressions on at least the outersurface of the member, and hair or hair-like material secured to theouter surface of the rigid base member in conformity with theprojections and depressions thereby providing a wig article of acoiffure predetermined by the shape of the projections and depressons.

19 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Patented May 30, 1972 3,665,940

3 Sheets'Shoot l I N VENTORS Q n nmllmuass Amp/v0 Patented May 30, 19723 ShaecsShoet 2 1 N VEN TORS Cbvsmwmns AW/YEVS PERMANENTLY SHAPED WIGARTICLE DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION The present invention relates to hairpieces and wig articles which have a permanent coiffure as more fullydescribed herein.

Reference in the specification-will be made to wigs" for convenience.However, it will be understood that the term wigs refers to hair piecesgenerally and includes such articles as falls, wiglets, bangs, braidsand the like.

In known wigs, the. hair of the wig, which may be of natural orsynthetic material, is attached to a backing member which normallyconsists of a flexible netting material. The backing member is such thatwhen placed on the head of the wearer it assumes the contour of the heador a contour not substantially different therefrom. To shape the wig andgive it an external distinctive appearance, the hair attached to thebacking member is itself formed in the required arrangement ofdepressions and projections appropriate to the desired shape of thecoiffure.

The coifi'ure of such wig articles can be modified by merely combing outthe hair and rearranging it to suit the particular requirements of thewearer. It is noted that such wigs usually comprise long hair strands inorder to provide sufficient body and thickness to the wig to permit sucharrangement.

7 However, such wigs having flexible netting material backing membersand long free-flowing hair possess certain disadvantages. Among these,are the fact that the mechanical support for the shape of the coiffureis provided by the free-flowing hair itself only after it has been setinto the desired arrangement. Experience has shown that such hairarrangements are easily disturbed by touching the hair or by wind andother elements. In an attempt to prevent any such disturbances fromoccurring to the set hair, excessive amount of any number of commonlyused compounds, setting lotions,

' and the like have been applied to such wigs. Application is made in amanner which is similar to their employment on viable human hair. Suchchemical additives aid in stiffening the hair in the shape arranged forit. However, these active materials tend to render the hair unsightly,by causing it to be excessively stiff and by making it lose anylustrewhich it may have. They may also attack the organic structure of thehair and detrimentally afiect healthy hair. Furthermore, such additivesare not generally of a permanent nature and it is necessary toperiodically recomb, reshape and reset the hair of the wig.

' We have now invented a new wig article which substantially overcomesthe aforementioned limitations of prior art wigs. According to thepresent invention there is provided a substantially rigid backing memberfor a wig having therein predetermined depressions and projections on atleast one surface thereof. The surface having the aforementioneddepressions and projections has hair or hair-like material securedthereto on the outer surface in substantial conformity to thesedepressions and projections.

Briefly, the present invention includes a permanently shaped wig articlecomprising a substantially rigid base member having at least a contouredouter surface, said contours being determinative of the coiffure of thewig article and hair or hair-like material secured to the contouredouter surface with the individual hair strands overlying andsubstantially conforming to the contours of the outer surface of thebase member by creating the illusion of hair depth and thereby formingsaid coiffure.

In contrast with the flexible backing members of the prior art, thebacking member of the present invention, though sufficiently spring-liketo permit it to be fitted comfortably over the head and hair of thewearer, is characterized by a substantial rigidity particularly of thepreformed convolutions therein such as to permanently control and shapethe outward appearance of the wig article. This substantial rigidity,while permitting temporary deformation, is sufficient to restore thebacking member and its convolutions, and to maintain them in use, insubstantially the form I or style to which they were originallypreshaped. In short, it is the preshaping of the convolutions in thesubstantially rigid backing member itself, rather than the hairarrangement supported on the backing member, that produces the desiredoutward appearance of the coiffure of our invention.

Generally, the wig may be made by initially securing strands of hair orhair-like material in the form of bands. These bands, in one embodiment,are then secured to a porous base member which is thereafter permanentlyshaped, on for example a mold, to define the coiffure required.

In another embodiment, a mold, having the required arrangement ofdepressions and projections appropriate to the desired shape of thecoiffure is used to permanently shape a base member into the desireddepressions and projections. The mold may be made of metal, wood,ceramic and other like materials well known in the mold making art. Thesculpturing techniques used to make the mold are well known in the art.A base member material is fitted on to the mold so that it adopts theparticular arrangements of depressions and projections. In a specificexample this embodiment of this invention, the base member is a heatdeformable Dynel*( *Dynel is the trademark of the Union CarbideCorporation for a copolymer of vinyl chloride and acrylonitrile used asa textile fiber. A modacrylic fiber.) plastic material which is heatedprior to or during contact with the mold. The heated plastic backingmember is readily deformed to conform to the contours of the. mold. Oncethe contours are formed onrthe backing member, it is cooled. The Dynelbacking member material is removed from the mold after cooling leavingthe arrangement of depressions and projections corresponding to that ofthe mold permanently formed on the substantially rigid backing member.In the case where additional rigidity is required, several layers ofplastic or other deformable materials, i.e., Dynel netting material, maybe used in additional layers co-extensive with the original backingmember material described above. All of the base forming materials,including netting, if used, become a part of the final wig article. Thehair or hair-like material bands are then secured to the shaped basemember in such a manner that the hair or hair-like material conformssubstantially to the arrangements of depressions and projections on thesubstantially rigid base member material.

The hair or hair-like material may be any of the usual products whichare normally used in making wigs and may be any desired color. Inaddition to the use of real hair, be it human'hair, or that of otheranimals, imitation hair, which is usually made of plastic fibers, ispresently in extensive use in less expensive wigs. Although the plasticfibers which are used for this purpose are more rigid than animal hair,and are therefor less susceptible to disarrangement, the long fibersmust still be set to form the coiffure and give the appearance of bodyand thickness. Furthermore, the thick arrangement of plastic fibersnecessary to make into the arrangement style desired results in ananimated and synthetic appearance.

In the present invention, the bands may be formed by securing togetherthe hair or hair-like material, by sewing it or adhering it with asuitable adhesive in the form of a band. In another form of thisinvention, the hair or hair-like material is secured directly to one ofthe layers of a backing material as described.

The hair or hair-like material for the wig may be of varying lengths andmay be trimmed in particular areas as desired either before applicationto the backing member or after such application. The length of hair orhair-like material may be, for example, 1 to 5 cms. or longer. In onemethod the hair or hair-like material may then be cut to shape, appliedover and attached to the backing member.

Several different plastic materials are presently being used in themanufacture of wigs. These materials are likewise readily usable in thisinvention. These materials are usually thermoplastic fibers which aresoftenable and deformable when heated. Upon cooling they are reset inthe form of the mold with which they have come into contact. Specializedheatsetting machines are available to accomplish these process steps.Among the plastics being used are: polyolefins, including polyethylene,polypropylene, copolymers thereof; polyesters including acrylicpolymers; polyamides, including nylons; polyurethane spandex typematerials; and polyvinyl polymers such as polyvinyl chloride.

Also permissible for this use are the natural fibers such as cottons,rayons, hemp and the like.

In either of the embodiments above described the resulting wig articleprovides the illusion of depth of hair as is the case with usual wigs ofthe prior art. However, the wig article of this invention contains hairor hair-like material of a thickness necessary only to cover theprojections and depressions on the outer surface of the backing memberarea. In addition to providing the look of thick hair, the wig of thisinvention also avoids the unsightly look associated with thickplastic-type hair and/or the dull, lack-lustre appearance of lacqueredhair.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood it will now bedescribed, by way of example, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 1 is a side profile'of the wig of this invention in place on thehead of a wearer.

FIG. 2 is an angular front view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cut-out view of the wig shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an isometric layered view showing elements of the wig.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the elements shown in FIG. 4 inconstructed relationship.

FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional view of a rigid base member having a bandplaced thereon.

FIG. 7 is a view of a braid embodiment of this invention.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 describe the sequential process steps involved in oneembodiment of making the wig shown in FIGS. 1-3.

Referring to FIG. 1, the wig article of this invention, designatedgenerally by numeral 1, is shown in place on the head 7 of wearer. Wig 1comprises depressions 2 and projections 3 covered in contouredrelationship by hair or hair-like material 4. Wig 1 is shown in thestyle of a rather short coiffure, however, it can obviously be made intoany desired shape. It is clear that the color of the wig is merely amatter of choice and may be any desired shade without effecting theinvention herein described. Wig l is made to fit onto head 7 of thewearer in a snug, yet comfortable manner, in order to prevent it frominadvertently falling off from the wearers head. In this connection, wig1 is preferably made with a border or rim portions 5 designed to be intouching relationship with the portions of head 7 whereon it is fitted,namely, around neck 9 and up to head region 16 of the wearers head 7.This is clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 6 wherein border or rim 5 are shownto be around the entire wig l on the wearers head 7.

FIG. 2 shows an angular front profile of wig 1, having depressions 2 andprojections 3 covered by hair or hair-like material 4. Border or rimportions 5 are hidden by hair or hairlike material 4 at the intersectionof the wearers head 7 and wig 1.

The break-away view in FIG. 3 shows the structure of wig 1 comprisingrigid and contoured base member 6 covered by hair or hair-like material4. Base member 6 is shown snugly mounted on wearers head 7 around thehead region designated numeral 16 down to and around neck portion 9. Thewearer's own hair 8 is shown tucked within inner empty spaces 17 of basemember 6.

FIG. 4 shows preliminary construction of one embodiment of thisinvention, namely, that wherein band 10 has initially been formed bystitching hair or hair-like materials 4 in relatively short strands andessentially in a single plane represented by numeral 1 1. A nettedbacking member 12 and a woven backing member 13 may be used in thecombination shown in order to form the base member 6 as an unforrned andnonrigid backing member generally designated as numeral 14 in FIG. 5.The drawing shows only one band 4. However, it is clear that many bandsare sewn to the backing members 12 and/or 13 in overlapped or adjacentrelationship in order to provide the look of continuity of the hair orhair-like material 4.

FIG. 6 describes another embodiment of this invention wherein apre-formed rigid base member generally designated by numeral 15 havingdepressions 2 and projections 3 thereon is shown being covered by band10. Bands 10 are secured to rigid base member 15 in accordance with thecontours of said base member. As described in connection with FIG. 5above, bands 10 are secured to base members 15 in adjacent oroverlapping relationship to provide the continuous appearance of hair orhair-like material. Stitching 11 may either be covered by other layersof hair or hair-like material 4 or may be sewn so as to blend in withthe hair or hair-like material 4. In any case, the final wig product issimilar to that as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The wig has the illusion ofhair thickness as shown. This is a consequence of applying bands 10 inthe depressions and projections in the form of the coiffure desired ascreated in the backing member. FIG. 6 also shows border or rim portions5 which encircle the wearer's head 7 in snug relationship.

In addition to full wigs, hair pieces may also be provided. Thus, forexample, general tubular shaped, cigar shaped, and flame shaped backingmembers may be provided. The tubular shapes with hair attached may beplaited or bent into other suitable shapes. Such hairpieces are used incombination with the natural hair of the wearer.

Of course, any prior art hairpiece can be used in combination with thewig article of this invention. For example, a fall can be attached tothe wig article of this invention by means of a decorative clip or pinor the like. The attaching means may be flexible to provide maximumfreedom with respect to the arrangement of the fall used in thisexample.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of this invention, name- 1y, a finishedbraid designated generally as numeral 21. The braid is shown ascomprising depressions 22 and projections 23 covered by hair orhair-like material 24. These embodiments may be attached to the head ofthe wearer by any of the usual clips.

The description of the process by which base member 15 or base member 6is prepared is hereinafter described.

The wig article of this invention can be made in any one of severalways. In one embodiment, hair or hair-like material is initially securedin the form of bands to a flexible backing member as described. Theflexible backing member is preferably a thermoplastic materialpossessing the properties of deformation when heated and substantialrigidity in the deformed state when cooled. Alternatively, the backingmember may be a fabric having resin embedded therein which acts in muchthe same way as described above for the thermoplastic backing member.Under heating conditions the resin softens permitting deformation of thecloth to the contoured shape as desired. Upon cooling the resin hardensin the deformed shape.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 wherein a process for making the wigarticle is described, there is shown in FIG. 8 an unformed backingmember with hair or hair-like material secured thereto 14, held byclamps 31 in a position whereby it is heated by heating elements 32 ofheater 30. In close proximity to heater 30 is vacuum machine 35 having avacuum chamber 34 defined by a base 38 having therein a conduit 39through which a vacuum is pulled, frame members 36 and a screen element37 held in position 40, by said frame members 36. A mold 41 for the wigis in resting contact 44 on screen element 37. The vacuum creatingmechanism is now shown and may be any conventional equipment such as apump or asperator.

Mold 41 is shown as consisting of depressions 42 and projections 43 inthe general appearance desired.

After said unforrned backing member 14 has been heated to its softeningpoint by heating element 32 it is laid on mold 41 as shown in FIG. 9 andplaced into sealed contact 45 with the comers of frame members 36.

A vacuum generally designated as V, is then created in chamber 34 aswell as void spaces 48 interior of the unformed backing member 14 bycausing the gaseous atmosphere therein to be withdrawn through conduit39. The vacuum causes softened backing member 14 to be fitted aroundmold 41 in the depressions 42 and projections 43 thereof as shown inFIG. 10. The sheeted backing member 14 is then permitted to cool on mold41 and in the shape of the mold. After cooling and hardening, it isremoved from the mold and trimmed around border 5. The final product isa wig as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The trimming may be followed by a sewing or adhering step which acts toseal the border of the wig. The border may be advantageously sewn orhave adhesive or plastic applied thereto in order to prevent frayed endsof the backing member from unravelling. This also provides a smootherarea at the points of contact between the wig and the head of thewearer.

in another embodiment the backing member is preferably provided on itsinternal face with an elastic band or an adjustable band in order thatthe same wig may be used for different head sizes while providing alight, yet secure attachement to the head. The elastic band or othersimilar securing means is preferably applied to the inside'of thebacking member, and desirably in the border region after the trimmingand the above-described step to prevent unravelling have beenaccomplished. The securing means may be sewn or adhered or otherwiseattached to the backing member by methods well known in the art.

Since certain changes may be made in the above invention withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention herein involved, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense. In the foregoing description and in the claims theterm hair is intended to include both natural hair and artificialhair-like material.

We claim:

1. An improved wig article comprising:

a. a backing member having substantially rigid projections anddepressions forming a continuous contoured outer 1 surface of saidmember corresponding to the contours of a predetermined coiffure, and b.hair material secured to said member in close conformity with saidprojections and depressions thereby providing a wig article with apermanent coiffure predetermined by the shape of said projections anddepressions.

2. The wig article of claim 1 wherein said backing member comprises athermoplastic material.

3. The wig article of claim 1 wherein said hair comprises plasticfibers.

4. The wig article of claim 3 wherein said fibers comprise copolymers ofvinyl chloride and acrylonitrile.

5. The wig article of claim 1 wherein said member comprises a woventhermoplastic layer secured to a netted thermoplastic layer.

6. The wig article of claim 1 wherein said member comprises a layer offlexible material impregnated with thermoplastic resin for setting thesubstantially rigid projections and depressions in the surface of theflexible material upon the application of heat.

7. The wig article of claim 1 wherein said member contains a borderportion at about the edge of said member for providing areas of touchingrelationship to the head of the wearer of said wig article.

8. The wig article of claim 7 wherein securing means for holding saidwig article on the head of the wearer is secured to the inner portion ofsaid border.

9. The wig article of claim 7 including means in the area of said borderportion for preventing the unravelling of frayed portions of saidmember. 1

10. The wig article of claim 1 being a full wig.

l l. The wig article of claim 1 being a braid.

12. The wig article of claim 1 being a fall. 13. The wig article ofclaim 1 wherein said hair is secured to said base member in bands.

14. The wig article of claim 13 wherein the hair in said bands is from 1to 5 centimeters long, and said bands are overlapped to give theimpression of long hair arranged in said predetermined coifiure.

15. An improved wig article comprising:

a. a backing member which is deformable when heated and is shaped whencooled, said shape containing predetermined projections and depressionsforming a continuous contoured outer surface of said membercorresponding to the contours of a predetermined coiifure and b. hairsecured to the outer surface of said backing member in close conformitywith said projections and depressions thereby providing a wig articlewith a permanent coiffure predetermined by the shape of said projectionsand depressions.

16. The wig article of claim 15 wherein said backing member comprises athermoplastic material.

17. The wig article of claim 15 wherein said backing member comprises afabric having resin embedded therein which resin softens under heatingconditions and hardens upon cooling.

18. The wig article of claim 15 wherein said hair comprises plasticfibers.

19. The wig article of claim 15 wherein said member contains a borderportion at about the edge of said member useful for providing areas oftouching relationship to the had of the wearer of said wig article.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENWCATE @T CORRECQN Patent NO. Dated y 3 9Inventor(s) Constantinos A. Scordalides and Dimitri G.Papageorgiou It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Page 1, in the Heading: Change "Schordelides" to ---Scordalides--- Page1, at [72] Inventors: Change "Constantios A.

Schordelides" to --=Constantinos A. Scordelides---5 change "Spyrow" to---Spyrou--- Page 1 References cited: Change "7/l97' (lest reference) to---7/ 9 9-- Column 6 line 50: change "had to ---head--- Signed andsealed this 3rd day of October 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD MQFLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 U4S. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE: 1969 0-356-334

1. An improved wig article comprising: a. a backing member havingsubstantially rigid projections and depressions forming a continuouscontoured outer surface of said member corresponding to the contours ofa predetermined coiffure, and b. hair maTerial secured to said member inclose conformity with said projections and depressions thereby providinga wig article with a permanent coiffure predetermined by the shape ofsaid projections and depressions.
 2. The wig article of claim 1 whereinsaid backing member comprises a thermoplastic material.
 3. The wigarticle of claim 1 wherein said hair comprises plastic fibers.
 4. Thewig article of claim 3 wherein said fibers comprise copolymers of vinylchloride and acrylonitrile.
 5. The wig article of claim 1 wherein saidmember comprises a woven thermoplastic layer secured to a nettedthermoplastic layer.
 6. The wig article of claim 1 wherein said membercomprises a layer of flexible material impregnated with thermoplasticresin for setting the substantially rigid projections and depressions inthe surface of the flexible material upon the application of heat. 7.The wig article of claim 1 wherein said member contains a border portionat about the edge of said member for providing areas of touchingrelationship to the head of the wearer of said wig article.
 8. The wigarticle of claim 7 wherein securing means for holding said wig articleon the head of the wearer is secured to the inner portion of saidborder.
 9. The wig article of claim 7 including means in the area ofsaid border portion for preventing the unravelling of frayed portions ofsaid member.
 10. The wig article of claim 1 being a full wig.
 11. Thewig article of claim 1 being a braid.
 12. The wig article of claim 1being a fall.
 13. The wig article of claim 1 wherein said hair issecured to said base member in bands.
 14. The wig article of claim 13wherein the hair in said bands is from 1 to 5 centimeters long, and saidbands are overlapped to give the impression of long hair arranged insaid predetermined coiffure.
 15. An improved wig article comprising: a.a backing member which is deformable when heated and is shaped whencooled, said shape containing predetermined projections and depressionsforming a continuous contoured outer surface of said membercorresponding to the contours of a predetermined coiffure and b. hairsecured to the outer surface of said backing member in close conformitywith said projections and depressions thereby providing a wig articlewith a permanent coiffure predetermined by the shape of said projectionsand depressions.
 16. The wig article of claim 15 wherein said backingmember comprises a thermoplastic material.
 17. The wig article of claim15 wherein said backing member comprises a fabric having resin embeddedtherein which resin softens under heating conditions and hardens uponcooling.
 18. The wig article of claim 15 wherein said hair comprisesplastic fibers.
 19. The wig article of claim 15 wherein said membercontains a border portion at about the edge of said member useful forproviding areas of touching relationship to the had of the wearer ofsaid wig article.